Dallas, Brad Woodhouse still at each other's necks

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Dallas, a onetime local TV reporter, decided to leave journalism and was growing disenchanted with the growing size of the government. “I was just appalled at the waste and abuse of tax dollars and inefficiency," he said. "It really drove me, this inherent distrust of government and its motives.”

Brad, on the other hand, says he has always lined up with Democratic values. “I thought the Republicans had their priorities messed up.”

Dallas is the first to admit that despite their sibling rivalry, the two share a strong bond and deep affection for one another. “It’s an intense friendship that you can only have with a brother,” Dallas says of their "unusual" relationship.

“We were best man at each other’s wedding," Brad adds. "He’s incredibly self-centered, so he was kind of a terrible best man, but I would have him as my best man again.”

They don't save their arguments for cable news. No holiday, family event or phone call is off-limits, despite their mother's pleas. “Whatever Congress is arguing about, we’re arguing about,” Brad says. “We argued about the recovery package. We argued about the budget, the surge in Iraq, health care.”

Dallas likes to say he’s just “a little community organizer.” On occasion, he will call Brad from rallies. “I’m out here with a 60-year-old woman holding an oxygen tank — just wanted to give you a call from down in the front line!” And, “Hey, it’s your friendly mobster!” Or, “you know when they talk about taxing the rich, they’re talking about you!’”

Brad typically responds, “I don’t have time for this!’ and hangs up the phone.

Who is the better debater? “I give up more because at some point, it just becomes circular; you start saying the same things over and over again," Brad says. "I can only call him a d-bag so many times.”

Still, the constant squabbling, Brad admits, has helped him professionally. “After spending an hour on the phone with him each night, arguing with him certainly sharpens my argument,” Brad says.

The two can think of almost no political issue on which they agree. “I think we’d agree on some tactics,” Dallas says.

But Brad’s wife, Republican political operative Jessica Carter, says that while their political philosophies differ, their personalities are actually quite similar. “They’re very much very alike,” she says. “They just have a different view on how this country should go forward. They just share different parties.”

But in their family fights, CNN's Roberts sees a deeper problem. “If they can’t come together on an issue like this, how in the world is the nation going to come together on this issue?”

“It’s hard to explain,” Dallas says. “I’m kind of boiling mad at him now for filibustering me on TV rudely, but I can get over it in five minutes and talk to him on the phone.”

Brad's wife is a Republican operative? Why doesn't that get more coverage in the article? If the whole gist is that they're very close but have opposite political opinions (like Carville & Matalin) then wouldn't the Democratic operative being married to the Republican operative (like Carville & Matalin) deserve more than a fleeting mention??